Distance Course in Legislative Drafting for Democratic Social Change
Past Projects: Women's Issues
Canada: Pay equity
On average, women receive significantly less pay than men for similar work, and women remain disproportionately employed in less skilled, lower-paying sectors regardless of their educational attainment. This report proposes a pay equity scheme in which a Pay Equity Officer or Committee would assign points to jobs on the basis of four criteria: the skill/education level required to do the job; the mental and physical effort needed; the responsibility of the position held, and the working conditions of the job. Jobs with equivalent point scores would merit equal pay.
Cook Islands: Gender-based employment discrimination
Women face sex discrimination in hiring and promotion, and the current appeal process imposes undue risk and embarrassment on victims. This report proposes to create the position of Sex Discrimination Officer (SDO). The SDO would be responsible for educating employers about non-discriminatory approaches to hiring, promotion, and supervision (for example, assisting with development of neutral interview and performance evaluation criteria). The SDO would also arrange for mediation if a victim of sex discrimination chooses to pursue a complaint outside the courts.
Guyana: Sexual offenses procedure act
The current system of investigation and prosecution of sex offenses imposes severe burdens on victims and provides inadequate protections from sex offenders. This report proposes a comprehensive solution, including requirements that officials investigate and file a report on behalf of a complainant; provision of immediate medical examination of the victim and ongoing counseling for the victim and the sex offenders; protections for the person and identity of the victim; a prohibition on investigating a victim’s sexual history; creation of a sex offenders database; and development of a school curriculum regarding sex offenses.
Rwanda: Rape Protection
Uganda: Unequal opportunity for women, ethnic minorities
Employers frequently discriminate in hiring, promotion, and tenure on the basis of gender, race, age, religion, and disability. This report proposes an intransitive bill that would create an Equal Opportunities Commission.The Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Affairs, in consultation with the Equal Opportunities Commission, would make regulations on the conduct of meetings; the procedure for obtaining information and documents; and the appearance of witnesses before the Commission. On the basis of the evidence collected through these means, the Minister and Commission would draft legislation aimed at eliminating employment discrimination.
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